Celtic Rout Rangers In 399th (And Final?) Old Firm Derby

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United States World Cup captain and Rangers central defender CARLOS BOCANEGRA (18) is pursued by Greece World Cup winger GIORGIOS SAMARAS (9) of Celtic, who still has not scored a goal in what is, perhaps, the globe’s ultimate intra-city rivalry since bagging a brace at Ibrox to start the New Year in 2011, during the 399th Old Firm Derby at the football stadium affectionately known as Parkhead in the capital city of Scotland.
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Three class goals unanswered powered the 2012 Scottish Premier League champions to an easy victory at home in the fourth and final meeting of the season as celebratory CELTIC cruised past seriously-wounded RANGERS 3-0 in the 399th installment of Glasgow’s world-renowned OLD FIRM DERBY.

The financial troubles of 54-times national champion Rangers, who have also won the Scottish F.A. Cup on 33 occasions, overshadowed the contest at Celtic Park, to say the least. Indeed, with the once-proud but now humbled Ibrox club having gone into administration and the desperate search for a buyer still contiuning with no end in sight, it is still quite possible that one of Glasgow’s two great sides might simply disappear after this 2011/12 season. Sad to consider, then, that there may very well be no 400th edition of the Old Firm Derby.

Nevertheless, Celtic celebrate their 43rd national championship this term all the same and kept the punchless Rangers attack off the scoreboard for a second consecutive match at Parkhead this season. The Bhoys have blanked the ‘Gers five times in the last eight Old Firm Derby contests, then.

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The Celtic supporters at Parkhead offered their own rendition of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and sang songs such as “When Will I See You Again?” by Three Degrees in an obvious effort to taunt both the Rangers and their fans in the 399th Old Firm Derby match.
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OLD FIRM DERBY
match record, all competitions
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Rangers 159, Celtic 144 with 95 ties

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399th Old Firm Derby
April 29, 2010
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC : Forster – Matthews, Mulgrew, Loovens, Izaguirre – Commons (McCourt 85), Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Samaras (Stokes 81′) – Hooper (Watt 89′)

RANGERS : McGregor – Bartley, Goian, Bocanegra, Whittaker – McCabe (Ness 57′), Edu, Wallace, Aluko – Little (Kerkar 72′), McCulloch

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Celtic defender CHARLIE MULGREW, the 26-year-old former Scotland U-21 international who just earned his first senior cap earlier this past February in the 1-1 friendly draw with Slovenia, opened the scoring in the 399th Old Firm Derby match against arch-rival Rangers with a spectacular diving header off a corner kick in the 17th minute at Parkhead.
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Scotland international KRIS COMMONS (15), the 28-year-old winger who scored 11 goals in 14 Scottish Premier League games to close out last season after arriving from English Football League Championship (second division) side Derby County in January of 2011 but had not found the back of the net on 20 appearances in the top flight this term entering the 399th Old Firm Derby, doubled Celtic’s advantage in the 31th minute with a deft finish past Rangers goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR (1) at Parkhead.
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After getting good service from Greece World Cup winger Giorgios Samaras, leading scorer GARY HOOPER (left) hammered a third for Celtic against eternal arch-rival Rangers in the 54th minute at Parkhead; the 24-year-old Englishman has struck 19 times in the Scottish Premier League this season and has now also netted five goals in the Old Firm Derby matches since his purchase from Scunthorpe United in the summer of 2010.
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Rangers Send Celtic Clear Message In 398th Old Firm Derby

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Northern Ireland international midfielder and first team skipper STEVEN DAVIS of Rangers and South Korea World Cup midfielder SUNG-YUENG KI (13), who signed with Celtic after transferring from FC Seoul for a fee of 2.1 million English pounds in August of 2009, race for the ball during the 398th edition of the OLD FIRM DERBY at storied Ibrox Stadium on the banks of the River Clyde in the Scottish capital city of GLASGOW.
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Although it is absolutely certain that the three-time defending Scottish Premier League champion cannot retain its crown again this season, a proud and determined RANGERS side, nevertheless, sent tradtional arch-rival CELTIC a clear and concise message along with the result of the 398th OLD FIRM DERBY that went something like this :

“Attention Celtic : You WILL win the 2012 S.P.L. title … but NOT at Ibrox!”

The match, itself, was really just another, standard garden-variety Glasgow Derby, then. The enthralling stage complete with colorful backdrop and electric atmosphere gave host to yet another magical and memorable performance in Scotland’s fixture of all fixtures. Indeed, three red cards flowing from the match referee’s pocket and four balls bulging the back of the net with roughly quarter of an hour to play did much to uphold this most entertaining as well as wonderful tradition.

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CELTIC supporters, poised to celebrate their first Scottish Premier League title since the end of the 2007-08 campaign, prepared a little sign for the traditional, intra-city adversary Rangers ahead of the 398th Old Firm Derby contested last Sunday at Ibrox …
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RANGERS supporters, who are always quick to point out that the Ibrox club have already won a domestic record 54 league titles in the long history of the Scottish top flight, reply that this particular ground — even if the team have recently gone into administration and the future is very much hanging in the balance — happens to be, if only for the time being, still in their possession!
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South Korea World Cup defender DU-RI CHA of Celtic, the 31-year-old former Bundesliga veteran whose father Bum-Kun Cha was a big star in West German domestic football while earning a UEFA Cup winners’ medal with both Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen during the 1980s, sits in disbelief after being ejected by match referee Calum Murray in the 29th minute of the 398th Old Firm Derby.
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A trio of Rangers in reverse numerical order — Northern Ireland international and club captain STEVEN DAVIS (8), United States World Cup midfielder MAURICE EDU (7) and Scotland international midfielder LEE MCCULLOCH (6) — stare down Celtic midfielder VICTOR WANYAMA (67) as the 20-year-old Kenya international is dismissed for a studs-up, two-footed challenge in the 57th minute of the 398th Old Firm Derby.
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United States World Cup captain CARLOS BOCANEGRA (18), the 32-year-old veteran with 101 senior international caps for the U.S.A. who spent five seasons in England with Fulham Athletic and three years in France with FC Stade Rennes and AS Saint Etienne before transferring to the Glasgwegian giant on the banks of the River Clyde this past summer, receives his marching orders in the 88th minute of the 398th Old Firm Derby.
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Celtic first choice FRASER FORSTER, the 24-year-old English goalkeeper who has been out on loan to the Bhoys in Glasgow the past two seasons from English Premier League side Newcastle United, has conceded seven goals on his last two appearances at Ibrox Stadium in the always-entertaining Old Firm Derby.
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398th Old Firm Derby
March 25, 2012
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

RANGERS : McGregor – Wallace (Kerkar 78′), Goian, Papac, Bocanegra, Whittaker – McCabe (Lafferty 60′), McCulloch, Davis, Edu – Aluko (Little 72′)

CELTIC : Forster – Cha, Mulgrew, Rogne, Matthews – Ledley (Hooper 90′), Wanyama, Brown, Ki (Commons 70′), Samaras – Stokes (Izaguirre 32′)

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Nigeria international SONE ALUKO (19), the 23-year-old, English-born striker who signed for Rangers late last November after having been released in the summer by S.P.L. outfit FC Aberdeen, registered his first career Old Firm Derby goal and fifth strike in the Scottish top flight this term in only the 11th minute opposite arch-rival Celtic last Sunday .
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Second half substitute striker ANDREW LITTLE (34), the 22-year-old Northern Ireland international who had recorded one tally from three appearances for Rangers in the S.P.L. this season prior to the intra-city clash in Glasgow at Ibrox last Sunday, scored with his first touch in the 72nd minute shortly after coming onto the pitch in the 398th installment of the Old Firm Derby; .
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Rangers fullback LEE WALLACE (12), the 24-year-old Scotland international purchased this past summer from S.P.L. side FC Heart of Midlothian for a transfer fee of 1.5 million English pounds, extended the home side’s lead at Ibrox to three-nil in the 77th minute of the 378th Old Firm Derby with his second goal in the top flight for the ‘Gers this season.
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Celtic captain SCOTT BROWN (8), the 26-year-old Scotland international midfielder who set a new domestic record within the Scottish Premier League when transferring to the Parkhead club from FC Hibernian of Edinburgh for a fee of 4.4 million English pounds in August of 2007, nets his second career goal in Glasgow’s Big Game and his seventh of the season in all competitions for the Bhoys from the penalty spot in the 89th minute of the 398th Old Firm Derby.
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Norway international defender THOMAS ROGNE (25), the 21-year-old who joined the Parkhead outfit following a free transfer from Stabaek Football of Baerum in Jaunary of 2010, heads both a first in the Scottish Premier League this season as well as his first-ever Old Firm Derby goal in time added on to the 398th all-time meeting between the two great Glasgow rivals but it is not enough as Celtic fall to Rangers 3-2 at Ibrox Stadium.
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OLD FIRM DERBY, all-time record (all compeitions)
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159 wins – Rangers
144 wins – Celtic
95 drawn matches

Celtic Capture 397th Old Firm, Leapfrog Rangers

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Northern Ireland international midfielder STEVEN DAVIS (8) of Rangers, who leads the Ibrox club with ten assists in the Scottish Premier League this season, races for the ball with Celtic’s Scotland international winger JAMES FORREST (49) during the 397th installment of the always-exciting Old Firm Derby contested at Celtic Park in the Parkhead district of Glasgow.
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A solitary goal headed off a set piece seven minutes into the second half insured that it will, indeed, be a Happy New Year for the Hoops, after all, as CELTIC clipped ultimate arch-rival RANGERS in the 397th Old Firm Derby by the minimum scoreline at Parkhead and leapfrogged over their Glasgow intra-city foe to now lead the Scottish Premier League by two points.

A typical Scottish football match, then, with inclement weather in the form of extremely strong winds and plenty of Route One stuff, as well. Scotland international midfielder LEE MCCULLOCH looked to have given the visiting Rangers an early lead in only the seventh minute, but English goalkeeper FRASER FORSTER did enough to convince the entire ball never crossed the goalline although television replays appeared to confirm otherwise. Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS, who tallied two goals in the Old Firm Derby on New Year’s Day in 2011 but has scored just threee goals in all competitions for Celtic halfway through this current term, got the ball behind Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR on a rebound another seven minutes later but was correctly judged offsides.

Croatia international striker NIKICA JELAVIC, for whom the Rangers paid Austrian club SK Rapid Vienna 4.0 million English pounds in August of 2010, put a header on target from a corner kick in the 24th minute. United States World Cup defender CARLOS BOCANEGRA, though, somehow managed to steer the ball over the crossbar from two yards away. English striker GARY HOOPER, the top shot for Celtic with 15 goals in all competitions this season, had a chance before the break but was halted by McGregor.

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Scotland international midfielder LEE MCCULLOCH of Rangers sends Israel international midfielder BIRAM KAYAL (33), who is second on Celtic having started 18 of 21 SPL matches this term, flying in a typically tough-tackling Old Firm Derby match which included harsh weather conditions as well; Kayal was injured on the play and subsequently taken off in favor of South Korea World Cup midfielder SUNG-YUENG KI in the 76th minute.
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The decisive moment of the 397th Old Firm Derby appeared in the 52nd minute after McGregor tipped a blast from Scotland international winger JAMES FORREST over for a corner. Wales international fullback JOE LEDLEY was able to win the aerial duel at the back post and score his fifth goal in all games for Celtic this term. A first career strike in what is, perhaps, the world’s most intense cross-town rivalry, then, for the 24-year-old who arrived at Parkhead at no cost from Welsh club Cardiff City in the summer of 2010.

The record Scottish champions attempted a rally that never did really begin to materialize at Parkhead although Jelavic, who leads the Ibrox club with 14 goals in all competitions this season, did have a couple of quality opportunities. Manager ALLY MCCOIST withdrew 22-year-old, surprise starter SONE ALUKO, the Nigeria international who signed with Rangers in late November after having his contract with FC Aberdeen expire this summer, and used a full allotment of substitutes including World Cup midfielder MAURICE EDU, who had started 18 of Rangers’ first 20 league matches heading into the latest intstallment of Glasgow’s Big Game. 32-year-old Northern Ireland international attacker DAVID HEALY appeared for only the fourth time all season in the S.P.L., all as a replacement off the bench for Rangers, but could only get his name written down for a yellow card offense.

And so a resurgent FC Celtic, who have won the domestic league title on 42 occasions, complete their charge to the top of the table while manager NEIL LENNON’s job now seems more safe than ever. Celtic, of course, were nipped late last term for the Scottish Premier League title by their eternal enemies from across town. The sputtering Rangers are badly missing injured Scotland international STEVEN NAISMITH, who had registered nine goals in eleven league matches before going down for the season with a knee injury at the end of October.

OLD FIRM ALL-TIME RECORD — Rangers 158, Celtic 144 with 95 draws

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United States World Cup captain and defender CARLOS BOCANEGRA (left), who departed AS St. Etienne in France to sign with Rangers this summer for a transfer fee believed to be 460,000 Euros, heads the ball over the net from close quarters during the 397th Old Firm Derby at Celtic Park in the Parkhead district of Glasgow.
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397th Old Firm Derby
December 28, 2011
Celtic Park, Glasgow

CELTIC : Forster – Matthews, Rogne, Mulgrew, Ledley – Forrest, Brown, Kayal (Ki 76′), Wanyama, Samaras – Hooper (Stokes 86′)

RANGERS : MacGregor – Broadfoot, Bartley, Bocanegra, Papac – Aluko (Wylde 66′), McCulloch (Edu 79′), Davis, Wallace (Healy 79′), Lafferty – Jelavic

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Rangers Storm Back, Claim 396th Old Firm Derby With Celtic

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Celtic’s English striker GARY HOOPER (88), who led The Bhoys last season with 20 goals in the Scottish Premier League following a 2.4 million pound transfer from English League Championship (second division) side Scunthorpe United, attempts to hold off United States World Cup midfielder MAURICE EDU of Rangers during the goal-filled 396th OLD FIRM DERBY at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow.
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Defending Scotting Premier League champions RANGERS FC went to the break behind courtesy a very soft goal conceded to intra-city, arch-rival CELTIC FC but stormed back in the second half with three unanswered strikes to claim a 4-2 victory in the 396th OLD FIRM DERBY at Ibrox on Sunday.

Scotland international wideman SCOTT NAISMITH of Rangers and English striker GARY HOOPER of Celtic had traded first half goals before abysmal goalkeeping from Scottish international ALLAN MACGREGOR between the sticks for Rangers allowed Celtic’s Morocco international defender BADR EL KADDOURI, an Old Firm rookie on loan from Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev, to find the back of the net in the 41st minute with the most routine of shots from long range.

But new trainer ALLY MCCOIST’s men leveled the match with a header from Croatia international striker NIKICA JELAVIC ten minutes in the second stanza. And Northern Ireland international striker KYLE LAFFERTY lifted Rangers to the lead with a second-chance strike in the 72nd minute. After Celtic had former Scotland U-21 international CHARLES MULGREW dismissed for a second yellow card with fifteen minutes remaining, Naismith tacked on his second goal to delight the home side faithful in injury time.

A symbolic result considering Rangers went unbeaten with nine wins in their last ten matches to overtake Celtic by a solitary point and snatch the S.P.L. title last term. With the 4-2 win at Ibrox, Rangers also stretched their record in the magnificent Old Firm Derby to 158 wins, 143 losses and 95 draws. This Old Firm encounter marked the 301st meeting in the Scottish top flight and saw the Rangers win their 118th match while Celtic were denied their 100th career win against their eternal enemy for a second consecutive time.

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Israel international midfielder BIRAM KAYAL (33) of Celtic, who made 21 appearances and scored two goals his first season in Scottish Premier League after signing from FC Maccabi Haifa for a transfer fee of 1.8 million English pounds in July of 2010, lands on top of Scotland international winger STEVEN NAISMITH, the Rangers’ two-goal scorer on the day, during the 396th Old Firm Derby at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow.
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396th Old Firm Derby
September 18, 2011
Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow

RANGERS : MacGregor – Whittaker, Goian, Bocanegra, Papac – Naismith, Davis, Edu, Wylde – Lafferty (McCulloch 80′), Jelavic (Healy 90′)

CELTIC : Forster – M. Wilson, Loovens, K. Wilson, El Kaddouri (Stokes 63′) – Brown (Forrest 74′), Kayal, Ki, Mulgrew – Samaras (Bangura 83′), Hooper

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Scotland international winger STEVE NAISMITH of Rangers (left) celebrates his first career Old Firm strike by signaling to Celtic supporters after scoring the opening goal of the match while a pair of The Bhoys, South Korea World Cup midfielder SUNG-YUENG KI and Morocco international defender BADR EL KADDOURI (4), discuss what went wrong.
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English striker GARY HOOPER of Celtic adroitly curls the ball around Rangers’ Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MACGREGOR (1) and inside the far post to score his fourth goal in the S.P.L. this season.
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Hands on the head for one man as well as the astonished looks on the faces of the younger fans in the stands behind the net say it all as Rangers goalkeeper ALLAN MACGREGOR has a complete nightmare and gifts the not-pictured Morocco international defender BADR EL KADDOURI of Celtic an easy goal.
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Croatia international striker NIKICA JELAVIC (9), who scored 16 goals in 23 Scottish Premier League games for Rangers last term after transferring from Austrian club SK Rapid Vienna in a deal worth 4.0 million English pounds, rises above the Celtic defense to head the ball down and score his third goal of this S.P.L. season with a bounce.
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Northern Ireland international striker KYLE LAFFERTY (11), who scored 15 goals in all competitions for Rangers last season, takes advantage of a second bite at the apple and left-foots the record Scottish champion to the lead against Glasgow intra-city rival Celtic in the 396th Old Firm Derby.
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Scotland international winger STEVEN NAISMITH (14) of Rangers wheels away after scoring his second goal of the game and sixth of the season in the Scottish Premier League as the Celtic pair of English goalkeeper FRASER FORSTER and Ireland international striker ANTHONY STOKES (10) can only look at the ball in the back of the net at Ibrox.

FA Cup Replay – Celtic Clip Rangers In Card-Filled, Contentious Affair

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40-year-old Rangers centerback and club captain DAVID WEIR, who spent eight years with FC Everton in the English Premier League and has earned 69 caps for Scotland in his career, settles the ball ahead of Celtic’s English striker GARY HOOPER, the two-goal hero of the previous intra-city encounter, during the Scottish F.A. Cup fifth round replay and 393rd edition of the Old Firm Derby at Celtic Park in the Parkhead district of Glasgow. (Hooper, Wier(Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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An expulsion ten minutes before the halftime whistle and a solitary goal shortly after the restart highlighted a contentious and card-filled affair as CELTIC clipped shorthanded RANGERS 1-0 in the Scottish Football Association Cup fifth round replay, also known as the 393rd installment of the distinct OLD FIRM DERBY from Glasgow.

Celtic were forced to field Poland international goalkeeper LUKASZ ZALUSKA, who has made just two appearances in the top flight all season long, in between the sticks against their traditional cross-town rivals. Normal first choice FRASER FORSTER, the 22-year-old Englishman on loan from Newcastle United, had seen red against Rangers in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox and was, thus, suspended. The 28-year-old Zaluska, however, would have little to do on this occasion.

Croatia international striker NIKICA JELAVIC, the late August acquisition costing 4.0 million English pounds from Austrian side Rapid Vienna who has scored 10 goals on 15 appearances in all competitions for Rangers when healthy this season, missed the match after injuring his knee yet again over the weekend against St. Johnstone.

To compund Rangers woes, Scotland international STEVEN WHITTAKER was shown a second yellow card in only the 36th minute which reduced manager WALTER SMITH’s side to ten men against the current Scottish Premier League leader and eternal enemy, Celtic, for the remainder of the contest.

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(David Moir/Reuters)
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Celtic scored the goal it needed to take control of the match once and for all just three minutes into the second half. A cross from Honduras international fullback EMILIO IZAGUIRRE on the left was allowed to reach fellow fullback MARK WILSON way over on the right in the box. The recently-capped Scotland international fired a rocket that was headed off the line by Rangers’ Bosnia / Herzegovina international defender SASA PAPAC, who was knocked out by the blow and would not return.

But the ball riccocheted back to Wilson, who had entered the New Year having gone five and a half seasons without a goal in the Scottish Premier League; in the midst of an unusual purple patch, the 26-year-old used a deft chip to handcuff Rangers’ Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR to net his third goal in his last six games.

Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS might have added a second for Celtic in the 63rd minute, but the two-goal hero of the Old Firm Derby played just after the New Year smashed his shot off the post.

The game grew increasingly more aggressive and Rangers, who had seven different players booked, finished the match with nine men after Algeria World Cup defender MADJID BOUGHERRA was shown his second yellow card during time added on. Just after the final whistle, the turbulence continued as Senegal international striker EL HADJI DIOUF of Rangers was also issued a red card by match referee CALUM MURRAY. Meanwhile, at the touchline, Celtic boss NEIL LENNON clashed with Rangers assistant manager ALLY MCCOIST…

…and 34 people were taken into custody after the match, according to German reports.

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Senegal international EL HADJI DIOUF (17) of Rangers, the striker on loan from English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, is sent flying by the sliding tackle of Celtic’s Sweden international defender DANIEL MAJSTOROVIC, a signing this past summer on a free transfer from Greek club AEK Athens, during the hotly-contested 393rd Old Firm Derby / Scottish FA Cup fifth round replay at Parkhead in the capital city of Scotland. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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CELTIC : Zaluska – Wilson, Majsotrovic, Mulgrew, Izaguirre – Ki, Brown, Kayal, Commons – Samaras, Hooper

RANGERS : McGregor – Bartley, Bougherra, Weir, Papac (Wylde 51′), Foster – Fleck (Hutton 46′), Whittaker, Edu, Davis – Diouf

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(SNS Group/dailymail.co.uk)
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(David Moir/Reuters)
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392nd Old Firm Derby – Celtic Give Rangers Critical Clubbing

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South Korea World Cup midfielder SUNG-YUENG KI (18) of Glasgow Celtic, who was signed from FC Seoul in December of 2009 for 2.1 million English pounds, distributes a pass ahead of Glasgow Rangers’ Northern Ireland international midfielder STEVEN DAVIS (8) during the 392nd Old Firm Derby at Celtic Park in the Parkhead district of Glasgow. (David Moir/Reuters)
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Two goals from English striker GARY HOOPER inside the first half hour sent table-toppers CELTIC on the way to a decisive 3-0 Scottish Premier League victory over RANGERS in the 392nd installment of the always-riveting OLD FIRM DERBY.

The purchase of 2.4 million English pounds from Scunthorpe United this past July gave Celtic the lead in the 17th minute with a smart shot through the legs of Rangers’ Scotland international goalkeeper ALAN MACGREGOR. The 23-year-old striker, whose shirt number indicates his year of birth, doubled the home side’s advantage with a sliding finish to a handsome ball from Honduras international fullback EMILIO IZAGUIRRE. With the brace against Rangers, Hoover boosted himself into the Celtic club lead with 13 league goals this season.

Newly-arrived winger KRIS COMMONS, who set up Hoover for the first goal of the game, achieved a unique hat trick of his own in the match.

After his acquisition from English Football League Championship (old second division) side Derby County for 300,000 English pounds at the end of January, the Scotland international needed just six minutes to score his first Celtic goal on his official club debut against FC Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup. The 27-year-old followed that up with a strike against Rangers to celebrate his Old Firm Derby debut during the 2-2 FA Cup draw a couple of weeks ago. A 70th minute goal against Rangers in the Scottish Premier League on his first-ever appearance at Parkhead capped a noteworthy triple play for Commons.

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Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS (9) of Celtic, who scored both goals for the Bhoys in the Old Firm Derby just after the New Year, has the ball tackled away by Rangers’ sliding Algeria World Cup defender MADJID BOUGHERRA during the latest intra-city clash at Celtic Park in the Parkhead district of the Scottish capital city, Glasgow. (Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
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It should be noted that, while Commons’ shot did swerve a bit at the end, the ball was far from unstoppable. It was, however, quite indicative of the Rangers performance. Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR and his Glasgow club constituents, coming off the 1-1 draw with Sporting Lisbon of Portugal in the UEFA Europa League, certainly had a below-par match against their eternal nemesis, Celtic.

The convincing 3-0 win over Rangers was critical in that Celtic stretched their lead at the top of the table to eight points. This renders the two games Rangers have in hand incapable of making up the margin between the two arch-rivals. The Bhoys, managed by former Northern Ireland international midfielder NEIL LENNON, do have one Old Firm Derby in the league yet to be played this season.

The one-sided result also marked Celtic’s 99th all-time triumph in the Scottish top flight for the great, historical intra-city fixture with Rangers.

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(Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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CELTIC : Forster – Wilson, Majstorovic, Mulgrew, Izaguirre – Brown, Kayal (Ki 60′), Ledley, Commons (Forrest 82′) – Samaras, Hooper (Stokes 85)

RANGERS : McGregor – Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac – Bartley – Naismith (Lafferty 46′), Davis, Edu, Diouf (Healy 67′) – Jelavic

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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Old Firm Derby – Kung Fu Can’t Score Goals

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Celtic striker GARY HOOPER, in spite of whatever martial arts skills the purchase of 2.4 million English pounds from Scunthorpe United this past summer may or may not have, did not get his name on the scoresheet in the 391st Old Firm Derby Sunday against bitter arch-rival Rangers and Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR at Ibrox on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters)

Celtic, Rangers FA Cup Draw

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Scotland international midfielder SCOTT BROWN, the new captain of Celtic FC, is separated from United States World Cup midfielder MAURICE EDU (7) of Rangers FC by a newcomer to the Old Firm Derby, Senegal international striker EL HADJI DIOUF, during the Scottish Football Association Cup 5th round tie at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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Celtic and Rangers finished in a 2-2 draw. Bonus Old Firm football will be on offer at a later date in time. Proper post complete with photos to follow…

Celtic v Rangers – Old Firm FA Cup Derby Sunday

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Scotland U-21 international midfielder KYLE HUTTON (41) of Rangers, in only his third career appearance for the senior first team, fends off the challenge of Celtic’s Israel international midfielder BIRAM KAYAL (33) during the 390th Old Firm Derby in the Scottish Premier League this past January 2nd at Ibrox Stadium. (Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
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Old Firm arch-rivals CELTIC and RANGERS will clash for the 391st time in the 5th round of the Scottish Football Association Cup at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow on Sunday.

Although Rangers do hold a fifteen-match lead in all competitions for the overall series record, it is Celtic who have collected more F.A. Cup wins throughout the history of this great derby fixture.

Celtic, who won the last Old Firm Derby just after the New Year on the strength of two goals scored by Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS, are the current leaders in the Scottish Premier League with a five-point separation between ultimate adversary Rangers, who do have the luxury of two games in hand.

Of course, it has already been decided that the long-time, fierce enemies will engage in the League Cup Final to be played at Hampden Park in Glasgow this coming March 20.

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Almost an entire calendar year has passed since United States World Cup midfielder MAURICE EDU, the former All-American at the University of Maryland who was signed from Major League Soccer for a transfer fee of 2.6 million English pounds in August of 2008, scored a goal three minutes into time added on to give Rangers a 1-0 Old Firm Derby victory over Celtic on February 28, 2010, at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde. (guardian.co.uk)
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Rangers have been the target of recent criticism centering around their transfer policy.

Scotland international KENNY MILLER easily paced Rangers with 21 goals in only 17 Scottish Premier League games this season but was sold to Turkish club KD Bursaspor for a transfer fee of 400,000 English pounds at the end of January. The move will cut an estimated 300,000 English pounds from what would have been due Miller off the Rangers wage bill. But exactly who will replace the goals of the departed 31-year-old striker, who scored for Rangers against Bursaspor in the UEFA Champions League earlier this campaign, has yet to be determined.

England international striker JAMES BEATTIE, a complete bust since his transfer costing 1.5 million English pounds from Stoke City this past August, has been sent out on loan by Rangers to English Premier League club FC Blackpool for the remainder of the season. Another 31-year-old striker, the first player signed by manager WALTER SMITH in roughly two years due to budgetary constraints made just seven appearances (five starts) in the Scottish Premier League this term. Overall, Beattie played just ten matches and scored no goals for Rangers before returning south of the border.

Many are unhappy that Rangers have added Senegal interational forward EL HADJI DIOUF, a career underachiever in the English top flight. The 30-year-old has arrived on loan from Blackburn Rovers after no goals in 20 Premier League matches this season. Since signing for Blackburn Rovers from FC Sunderland in January of 2009, Diouf had managed just four goals in 60 English Premier League games and, thus, does not inspire a great deal of confidence in some quarters.

The Rangers attacker who needs to announce his goal-scoring presence is Croatia international NIKICA JELAVIC. The 25-year-old striker, a purchase of 4.0 million English pounds from Austrian side SK Rapid Vienna this past August, has missed much of this campaign on account of injury. Jelavic, only recently returned to action, has scored five goals from ten appearances in all competitions for Rangers this term.

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Celtic will not have to worry about conceding any goals to KENNY MILLER (left), who scored twice during the 389th installment of the Old Firm Derby at Parkhead last October, in the 5th round of the Scottish F.A. Cup in Glasgow on Sunday as cash-strapped Rangers have sold the Scotland international striker to Turkish side KD Bursaspor for a reported transfer fee of 400,000 English pounds.
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OLD FIRM DERBY
Celtic v Rangers, all-time record

Scottish League —– Rangers 117, Celtic 98, tied 83
Scottish FA Cup —– Celtic 22, Rangers 16, tied 8
Scottish Lge Cup —- Rangers 23, Celtic 21, tied 2

TOTAL —— Rangers 156, Celtic 141, drawn matches 93

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(guardian.co.uk)
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2010-11 : RANGERS
goal-scoring (all competitions)
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Smith 22, Naismith 9, Lafferty 6, Jelavic 5, Weiss 5, Edu 4, Bougherra 2, Davis 2, Whittaker 2, Little 1, McCulloch 1, Papac 1

2010-11 : CELTIC
goal-scoring (all competitons)
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Stokes 16, Hooper 13, Samaras 7, McCourt 6, Maloney 4, Forrest 3, Ki 3, McGinn 3, Brown 2, Juarez 2, Ledley 2, Murphy 2, Rogne 2, Cha 1, Commons 1, Izaguirre 1, Loovens 1, Majstorovic 1, Mulgrew 1, Wilson 1

Old Firm From Glasgow – Samaras Shoots Celtic Past Rangers

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Scotland international DAVID WEIR (3), the Rangers’ 40-year-old captain, cannot outrun Celtic’s Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS — who scored 10 goals in 32 league games last season but had none in the Scottish top flight heading into this latest edition of the intense Glasgow intra-city rivalry — during the 390th edition of the Old Firm Derby at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde. (Chris Clark/AP)
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HAPPY NEW YEAR to the MEN IN HOOPS, indeed!

Two second half goals from out-of-form Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS carried visting CELTIC to a vital 2-0 shutout victory over Glasgow cross-town, bitter arch-rivals RANGERS in the 390th installment of the OLD FIRM DERBY at Ibrox Stadium from the capital city of Scotland.

Rangers, who had won the first meeting of this season with Celtic 3-1 at Parkhead on the strength of a hat trick from Scotland international striker KENNY SMITH, might have had the better of play over the opening 45 minutes but could neither consistently nor seriously threaten The Bhoys’ English backstop FRASER FORSTER.

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Slovakia World Cup winger VLADIMIR WEISS, the 21-year-old out on loan from English Premier League side Manchester City who has scored three goals for Rangers in the Scottish top flight thus far this season, hurdles the sliding tackle of Celtic’s former Scotland U-21 international fullback MARK WILSON in just another run-of-the-mill Old Firm Derby at Ibrox Stadium. (Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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The pivotal moment of the match popped up just past the hour.

Celtic midfielder JOE LEDLEY intercepted a Rangers pass in his own defensive third and took a quick look upfield. Noting the position of Samaras and his two markers, the Wales international immediately launched a Route One Football for the Greek winger to chase. Clearly at a loss for pace was Rangers’ Algeria World Cup defender MADJID BOUGHERRA and 40-year-old captain DAVID WEIR.

Scotland international goalkeeper ALLAN MCGREGOR, to compound problems, made a tremendous error with judgment and decided to leave the Rangers’ box in a desperate bid to beat Samaras to Ledley’s ball. The Greek winger, taken off on Boxing Day and dropped for Celtic’s last match, easily rounded McGregor with a deft first touch and slotted home from a relatively stiff angle. Samaras, of course, had not scored even a single Scottish Premier League goal all season coming into this Old Firm Derby.

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With 390th Old Firm Derby Man of the Match — Greece World Cup winger GEORGIOS SAMARAS (9) — watching in the background for Celtic, 22-year-old Israel international midfielder BIRAM KAYAL, purchased by the Glasgow club from FC Maccabi Haifa for 1.8 million English pounds this past summer, sticks in a leg to challenge Rangers’ 32-year-old Scotland international midfielder LEE MCCULLOCH, who spent six-plus years in the north of England with Wigan Athletic, at Ibrox Stadium. (Chris Clark/AP)
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Samaras, who had scored 25 goals in the Scottish Premier League the past two seasons combined prior to the 2010-11 campaign, added a second in the first Old Firm Derby of 2011 from the penalty spot in the 69th minute; the 25-year-old Greek winger took the spot kick, himself, after being dumped by the Algerian defender Bougherra on the edge of the box.

A huge win away from home over the dreaded arch-rivals for Celtic, who were playing without suspended captain SCOTT BROWN. Sweden international FREDDIE LJUNGERG, signed the Glasgow outfit during the week on a free transfer from Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire, was sick and did not even make the bench for The Bhoys. Nevertheless, Celtic extend their lead in the Scottish standings to four points for manager NEIL LENNON.

The only good news the Old Firm Derby’s losing manager, WALTER SMITH — the Rangers still have two full games in hand on their long-time nemesis.

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(Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
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(Chris Clark/AP)
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(Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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(David Moir/Reuters)
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(Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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(David Moir/Reuters)
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(David Moir/Reuters)
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(Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
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(Russell Cheyne/Reuters)
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Celtic players including Israel international midfielder BIRAM KAYAL (33), captain and Sweden international defender DANIEL MAJSTOROVIC (5), Norway U-21 international defender THOMAS ROGNE (25), Wales international midfielder JOE LEDLEY (16), Northern Ireland international winger NIALL MCGINN (14) and Scotland U-21 international winger JAMES FORREST (49) celebrate Celtic’s 141st all-time victory over fierce arch-rival Rangers after the 390th playing of the Old Firm Derby at Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde in the capital city of Scotland. (Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)